Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy - Research Paper Example This is concerning the use of thoughts to determine behaviour and feelings. Therefore, it cognitive behaviour therapy aims at helping patients understand distorted beliefs that affect the way they carry themselves and their emotions, while at the same time suggesting useful ways in which their condition can be corrected to fit appropriate attitudes (â€Å"Cognitive Therapy†, n.d.). In such cases, cognitive therapists work collaboratively with clients by taking an educational role and giving their patients the role of trying out new treatment methods. The methods are usually alternatives to their conventional and traditional methods of solving problems. This way, the therapist collects information to analyze various therapeutic strategies likely to succeed in treatment, as well as dysfunctional thoughts that a patient may have, inhibiting their well-being (â€Å"Cognitive Therapy†, n.d.). Theoretically, the belief system used in cognitive behaviour therapy are in the for m of a therapists attempt to uncover the underlying assumptions borne by a patient. This is with regard to a patent’s rules or values that predispose them to depression, anxiety or anger. These are the belief systems that patients bear towards themselves relating to what they perceive themselves to be as well as how they would like to be. Such conceptions include the need to be understood by others, need to be perfect and sense of worthiness and approval among others. Therefore, therapists following this aspect of cognitive therapy are required to recognize the potential and belief systems for each patient, as well as the behaviour and thought process that is typical of them (Leahy, n.d.). Cognitive distortions are also called automatics thoughts and are conscious, spontaneous thoughts that are associated with negative emotions. They are the result of biases in the thought process and are categorized in a number of ways. Mind reading a cognitive distortion is based on the ass umption that the patient already knows that which another person is thinking without adequate evidence. This way, one ends up having negative thoughts about themselves as they usually have no clue as to what the other person is thinking before drawing conclusions on what they think. Another feature of cognitive distortion is that of fortune telling that is characterized by pessimism about future events. This is based on negative occurrences likely to happen in the said future (Leahy, n.d.). In addition, patients that require cognitive behavioural therapy have a tendency to label and discount positive events. This is concerning assigning negative traits to themselves and other members of the society while downplaying their achievements. While downplaying achievements in society is considered modest, in cognitive therapy, any positive achievement by oneself or others is labelled as trivial and not worth mentioning, so that they do not count. Still on negation of events, patients tend to focus most of their energy on negative events where they rarely notice positive occurrences happening in the society or to them and, as a result, they tend to live depressed lives. The aspects of cognitive distortion are numerous, whereby all revolve around the aspect of negative attitudes and behaviours directed at society, and oneself, while at the same time questioning what other probable event would be probable to